Model 1902 Military Serial Number 39721
issued to Frank H. Lowrey carried on the Siberian Expedition
from 1917 - 1920 - In 1916, Frank H. Lowrey was a
railroad engineer in Sioux City, IA and responded to a
request by US President Woodrow Wilson to run the
Trans-Siberian Railroad after a new government was formed in
Russia. Control of the railroad meant control of the only
major logistics and communication line in the nation. It
also meant access to massive stockpiles of munitions, food,
fuel, coal, and other supplies. Control of the
Trans-Siberian Railroad was critical to the support of the
new pro-western Provisional Government. The United States
wanted to support the new government.

Frank Lowrey, along with several hundred prominent railroad
operators and engineers were selected to form the Russian
Railway Service Corps. All the men were given Army
commissions for the essentially non-military project, but
were not really considered part of the regular Army.

He was issued the 1902 Colt as his service firearm while
running the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Pistol is a standard
commercial model with modified Colt hard rubber grips inlaid
with the owner's initials on the right grip and "SIBERIA
1917-20" on the left grip. These grips are most frequently
encountered on Model 1911 pistols that were carried in
Siberia.